Cheesy Garlic Herb Stuffed Pull-Apart Brioche Rolls Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Have all the ingredients ready: brioche rolls, mozzarella cubes, melted butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated parmesan, Italian herbs, and marinara sauce.

If using a cast-iron skillet, place it in the oven while it preheats, or simply use an oven-safe skillet. Cut the mozzarella into 1-inch cubes and mince the garlic. Chop the parsley and grate the parmesan. Measure out the butter and melt it in a small bowl. Warm the marinara sauce just before serving.

Instructions

Stuff and Butter

1. 1Prepare the Rolls
   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut a deep slit into the top of each brioche roll, using a small knife to create a pocket. Press a finger into the slit to widen it slightly. Stuff one cube of fresh mozzarella deep into each roll, pushing it down so it is fully enclosed.
   Look for The mozzarella cube should be completely hidden inside the roll.
   Tip Make the slit wide enough to hold the cheese but not so deep that the roll splits apart.
2. 2Make Garlic Herb Butter
   In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated parmesan, and Italian herbs. Whisk until well blended.
   Look for The butter mixture should be fragrant and slightly thick from the parmesan.
   Tip Let the butter cool slightly if it is too hot, so it doesn't cook the garlic.
3. 3Brush the Rolls
   Arrange the stuffed rolls in a cast-iron skillet or oven-safe dish, placing them close together. Brush the garlic herb butter generously over the tops and between the rolls, making sure to coat every surface.
   Look for The rolls should be well-coated with butter and speckled with herbs and parmesan.
   Tip Use a pastry brush to get the butter into the crevices between rolls.

At the end of this phase, the rolls are stuffed with mozzarella and coated with garlic herb butter. The butter mixture should be well combined and fragrant with garlic and herbs. The rolls should look glossy and speckled with parsley and parmesan. The cheese cubes should be completely hidden inside the rolls, with no visible gaps. The skillet should be filled with the rolls, touching each other slightly, ready for the oven.

Bake to Golden

4. 4Bake the Rolls
   Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes, until the rolls are deeply toasted, golden amber on top, and the cheese inside is completely molten and bubbling.
   Look for The tops should be golden brown and the cheese should be visibly bubbling at the edges.
   Tip If the tops brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the last few minutes.

After baking, the rolls should be deeply toasted and golden amber on top, with some edges slightly caramelized. The cheese inside should be molten and bubbling, with some oozing out of the slits.

The kitchen should smell of garlic, butter, and toasted bread. The tops should feel crisp to the touch, but the rolls should still be soft when pressed. If any rolls are not browned evenly, rotate the skillet halfway through baking.

Pull and Dunk

5. 5Serve with Marinara
   Remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 2 minutes. Warm the marinara sauce in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Serve the rolls warm, pulling them apart to reveal the cheese stretch, and dunk them into the warm marinara.
   Look for The cheese should stretch when you pull a roll apart.
   Tip Letting the rolls rest briefly prevents the molten cheese from burning mouths.

When you pull a roll away from the skillet, you should see a long, stretchy cheese pull. The rolls should be warm and the cheese should be gooey and stringy. The marinara sauce should be warm and ready for dipping. The rolls should be served immediately, as the cheese will set as they cool. The texture should be soft and pillowy on the inside, with a slightly crisp exterior from the butter and parmesan.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is overstuffing the rolls, which can cause the cheese to burst out during baking. Use a cube that fits snugly inside the slit. Another mistake is not brushing the butter between the rolls, leaving some parts dry.

Make sure to get the butter into the crevices. Overbaking can dry out the rolls and cause the cheese to become tough; keep an eye on them and pull them out as soon as they are golden. Finally, don't skip the rest time after baking, as the molten cheese can burn mouths.

How to tell it’s done

The rolls are done when they are deeply toasted and golden amber on top, and the cheese inside is completely molten and bubbling. You may see some cheese oozing out of the slits, which is a good sign.

The internal temperature of the rolls should be hot throughout; if you have an instant-read thermometer, it should read at least 165°F (74°C) in the center of a roll. Let them rest for 2 minutes before serving to allow the cheese to set slightly, but serve while still warm for the best cheese pull.